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140 Kara—ready!" called out Zeph to the boy at tht bush. "Karo—attention!"

"Sare," answered the little fellow, his bright twinkling eyes full of intelligence.

"Ask him how many!" said Zeph "—see?" and he touched himself, the boy and Ralph and Fred with his forefinger in turn.

Out rang a series of rising interrogatory sounds. There was a pause. Then from the boy stationed at the bush came quick responsive toots—one, two, three, four.

"Tell Kara to bring you this—see, this?" and Zeph stooped down and touched the sodded yard with his hand. Karo whistled again. Immediately Kara wheeled, stooped also, and was at their side in an instant, tendering a handful of grass.

"Say, this is odd all right," confessed Fred thoughtfully.

"Tell Kara to climb a tree next," spoke Zeph. More "whistle talk," and agile as a monkey Kara was aloft, making dizzying whirls among the branches of an oak nearby. "I tell you, it would stun you to watch these little fellows at play. It's like a piccolo or a calliope to hear them talk—yes, sir, talking just as knowingly as we do."

"Who are they, anyway?" spoke Fred curiosly.

"I've told you—Canaries."